Anything less than a win at the Etihad Stadium will see the English champions go out in the group stage for the second successive year, while Real are on the verge of qualifying.

But despite their struggles in Europe and the La Liga giants’ relatively secure position, Mancini doesn’t believe their rivals will take them lightly.

“It’s also an important game for Madrid,” the City boss said. “They still have a chance of going through to the second stage.”

The main threat to City’s chances is obviously Ronaldo and Mancini admitted that if the Portuguese star hits full flight, they may as well sit back and enjoy the show.

Asked how the Citizens intend to keep him in check, the Italian quipped: “Maybe we’ll call the police. “He’s a top player and, when you come up against someone who can score one or two goals every game, it is difficult. We will need to concentrate.

“For me Ronaldo deserves to win the Ballon D’Or... but maybe they can leave him at home.” Meanwhile, Real defender Sergio Ramos struggled to comprehend how a big club like City could perform so poorly in Europe’s elite competition.

“For me, it’s a surprise they are nearly out of the Champions League. We really thought City would be our main rivals to top the group,” Ramos said ahead of the clash. This match is very important for both clubs. We both need to win for different reasons.”